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Mary’s song of praise in Luke 1:46-55 a biblical interpretation model for doing a contemporary Ilonggo interpretation in a bilingual setting
(1996)
This is an attempt to ask and answer questions arising from the pericope in Luke 1:46-55. its context and the interpreter's context, in order to develop a contemporary Ilonggo interpretation in a bilingual setting. The ...
An exploratory study of women in the pastoral ministry in evangelical churches in Iloilo City
(1995)
In recent years, there has been a growing awareness around the world of the role of women in shaping and building the destiny of humanity. Women play important roles in the social, economic, and political life of a nation. ...
Baptist and feminist: Towards a feminist re-orientation of the women ministers of the Convention of Philippine Baptist Churches (CPBC)
(1999)
This thesis studies the theological basis of a feminist re-orientation in the formation of the women ministers of the Convention of Philippine Baptist Churches (CPBC). The present situation of the women ministers is analyzed ...
Pastoral ministry among problem students in Filamer Christian College
(1999)
The past few years have witnessed a growing concern for Pastoral Ministry through counseling. A ministry that concerns healing, sustaining, guiding and reconciling a person who is in crisis situation. Pastoral counseling ...
A critical study of the liberating God in the theology of Gustavo Gutierrez
(1993)
It is a task of theology to articulate an understanding of God that is meaningfully related to the existential questions and deep longings of humanity. It is also crucial that theology should speak intelligibly about the nature, presence, and activity of God in the world. One distinctive and contemporary articulation of God is that of liberation theology. It is a theology done by 'critical reflection on praxis' in the context of poverty, injustice, and human suffering.
In this theology God is distinctively understood as historical and liberating, i.e., God is actively present in history liberating humanity from its sinful and scandalous condition. The idea of a liberating God is the main focus and central category upon which the theology of liberation operates and is grounded. God in Christ is Liberator of humanity from sin and all its socio-economic and political manifestations. The liberating God is on the process of liberating humanity and creation here and now.
Liberation theology was born, at least, out of three main re-discoveries or realizations. First is the re-discovery of the liberating and historical nature God through praxis. Liberation theology affirms the presence of God in history in and through the faith and praxis of the faith community. The presence and activity of faith (praxis) point to the presence and activity of God in the world. Praxis presupposes faith and faith is evidenced by praxis. Faith and praxis are inseparably and dynamically linked to each other. In other words, God is here and now liberating humanity and the cosmos to its fullness in Christ.
Liberation theology is a reaction against unrelated western theological formulations including an other-worldly understanding of God. Since Latin American theology has been dominated by western thinking for many centuries most concepts are not meaningfully related with their context. Liberation theologians are keen to point out that western Christianity or theology addresses a different set of concerns. Whereas liberation theology is primarily concerned with the questions of oppression, injustice, and human suffering European theology is grappling with issues such as secularization, atheism and the meaning of being. Hence, there is a need to indigenize or contextualize Christianity (theology) in Latin America Whereas the west understood God as "The Wholly Other," "The Absolute," "The Unmoved Mover," "The Power of Being," etc., there is a need to ponder God in relation to the struggles and deep aspirations of the Latin American people. Liberation theologians suggest that in the light of the struggle against poverty, exploitation, dehumanization and death, the struggle for life and liberation, God should be understood as el Dios que libere, el Dios de la vida y la liberation (Spanish phrases means the God who liberates, the God of life and of liberation).
Second is the re-discovery of and renewed emphasis on the socio-economic and political aspects of salvation. It flows out of the idea of God as historical and liberating. It is argued that the historical and liberating God is concerned not only for the souls of people but of the total person. Salvation is not only freedom from hell and being assured of heaven. It is freedom from sin understood as oppression and injustice, exploitation and domination, and anything that hinders humanity from reaching its fullness in Christ
Here biblical themes such as creation, exodus, the ministry of the prophets, the incarnation, the crucifixion and the resurrection of Jesus serve as the critical basis for the affirmation and emphasis on the wholistic understanding of salvation. On these grounds liberation theology argues that God's liberation includes the socio-economic and political aspects of human existence. In other words, the humanization of humanity is part of being saved the reason why the biblical writers painstakingly elaborated and emphasized the above themes especially the Christ event.
The third foundational factor in the emergence of liberation theology is the realization of the nature and primary function of theology as critical reflection on praxis. Theology, it is argued, must not be preoccupied with the formulation of eternal truths into doctrines. As a discourse about God its primary function is to reflect critically on the praxis of the community of faith in response to the existing historical questions in the light of the Word As such theology is the "second act." It does not produce faith but critically and systematically reflects on the practice of faith, on the historical commitments of the people of God.
There is then a radical change in the method of theological reflection. The shift is in the area of emphasis: from orthodoxy to orthopraxis. What matters now is not only what is believed but the transformation of the world. The main concern is no longer merely to understand the world but the construction of a new and transformed society, a society where the weak are empowered, the poor are given justice, the marginalized are included
Such a theology would be an excellent contribution to the long and costly journey of my own nation, the Filipino people, in their ongoing struggle for justice, life and liberation. Like Latin America, the Philippines has been under the domination of foreign powers for many years. Its theology is likewise dominated by western categories. For us, too, there is a need to emphasize the socio-economic and political aspects of liberation, as 44 millions (70%) of the 62 millions population are living in abject poverty, living in shanties, as squatters in their own country. There is an abysmal gap between the rich and the poor. These appalling realities are seen to be the root of the 23 year old insurgency problem.
This poverty stricken condition of the Filipino people gives rise to the alarming relationship breakdown among thousands of families. Today more that 500,000 Filipinos are overseas leaving their families behind, many of whom are women professionals (about 30% are married with children) working either as contract workers or domestic helpers in Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Hongkong, Saudi Arabia, Europe, Canada and the United States. In the light of this context and the Philippines being a predominantly Christian country (85%) there is a need to articulate an understanding of God, as in Latin America, that is meaningfully related to the ongoing protest against a dehumanized existence and struggle for a humane life. There is a need for the liberation of theology as most part of the Philippine church is dependent on western and mostly unrelated understanding of God and biblical interpretations. This context and need provides a background and motivation for this essay.
More specifically, this study is about the Liberating God in the theology of Gustavo Gutierrez. It is an attempt to contribute to the ongoing theological dialogue in the search for a meaningful and related understanding of God in support of the Filipino struggle. I am embarking into this study with the following goals in mind: a) to develop a good grasp of the distinctive idea of God as historical and liberating; b) to understand the method of liberation theology particularly that of Gutierrez in arriving into such and understanding of God; c) to clarify some ethical demands of a theology that ponders God as Liberator; and d) to make some critical evaluation on some issues arising from the discussions.
Chapter 1 deals with the nature and identity of God while Chapter 2 examines the centrality of praxis as away of locating, knowing, encountering, and following God in the world. Chapter 3 brings out some critical points and discussions on some selected issues emerging from the whole discussion....
Case studies of two Baptist churches in conflict
(1997)
I started to work as a pastor in 1985 in a local church that was still recovering from a conflict situation. Membership then, had thinned down to more than 50%. The atmosphere of superficiality and distrust could still be ...
Pauline concept of leadership in the Corinthian letters and its significance to the evangelical churches today
(1996)
Leadership is the most important ingredient in the success of any organization. This is because leadership captures concepts, visions and over-all direction.
Peter Wagner in his book, Leading Your Church To Growth, wrote: "Effective church leadership accurately perceives where the people in the congregation are now, and what their potential is for the future. The gift of leadership is the special ability that God gives to certain members of the body of Christ to set goals in accordance with God's purpose for the future, and to communicate those goals to others in such a way that they voluntarily and harmoniously work together to accomplish these goals for the glory of God."
It cannot be denied that our churches today are suffering from the problems of division, faction, pride, immorality, etc. which by nature is almost similar with those of the problems of the Corinthian church in 55 A.D. Inevitably, church split is everywhere to the extent that it does not only ruin the testimony of the church itself but above all, it ruins the ministry of God. Jesus Christ is the God of order and not of chaos, unity and not of division, love and not of hatred, peace and not of war.
With all these threatening realities, we cannot help but honestly ask ourselves questions like, is there something wrong in our church leadership? If there is, what are we going to do with it? Is there a need for us to go back to the biblical principles of leadership? What must we do with the immoral members and those who create chaos and disorder within the church?
This paper was written in the hope that it might be of help to our local churches undergoing such kind of predicament. The study centers on the Christian ministry of Paul focussing in leadership qualities which enabled him to strengthen the spiritually sick church of Corinth. In order to clarify the points discussed about his leadership, a survey is made in Paul's historical and religious background and the circumstances which led to the establishment of the Corinthian Church.
At Corinth Paul encountered several serious problems such as faction or division among leaders, pride, immorality, misuse and abuse of spiritual gifts, personal attacks, humiliation, rejection and painful criticisms from within and without the local congregation. In the midst of these perplexing events, how did Paul maintain his divinely appointed authority, assert his leadership as an apostle, deal with the problems which brought the rebellious church into repentance, and in what possible ways such approaches be significant to our local evangelical churches today are discussed in this paper.
Yes, it is true that nothing in this world is permanent. Everything changes including church leadership. In the New Testament, as time and circumstances changed, leadership in the church changed too. Leadership patterns develop according to the need. They do not remain static.
Likewise, the context of Paul's leadership in the Corinthian church had changed. Forexample,women are required by Paul to cover their heads inside the church (I Corinthians 11:5,6). The issue is cultural rather than spiritual. Paul's advice applied directly to the cultural situation in Corinth, where unruly women were disrupting the worship services.
However, in the Philippine setting it is no longer applicable because our culture does not require a woman to wear a veil or that she should always have long hair. It is our common belief that morality does not depend (on the veil or on the length of the hair. A woman may have short hair and does not cover her head yet, she is morally and spiritually upright. God does not look at the outward appearance but at the heart.
Even though the context of Paul's leadership had changed but the essentials are the same and can still be best applied to our local evangelical churches today. Therefore, this study intends to point out those essentials so that our churches will be strengthened and edified for the glory of God....
A study on the church and ecology in the Philippine context
(1995)
The problem of environmental degradation is not anymore an isolated issue. This is now a global concern. People all over the world are very much aware of the seriousness of this problem. Locally and worldwide people are ...
The relevance of Paul's missionary methods to today's Christian mission
(1994)
It cannot be denied that the missionary methods of the great missionary Paul of Tarsus in the first century are exceptional, because they resulted in the phenomenal growth of the Christian church especially in Asia. It can ...
A mission history of the Philippine Baptist churches 1898-1998 from a Philippine perspective
(Verlag an der Lottbek, 1999)
In 1963 Dr. Agustin E. Masa, former General Secretary and President of the Convention of Philippine Baptist Churches (CPBC), in his nine-page Outline History of the Baptists in the Philippines, had endeavored "to set in writing the history of the Baptists in the Philippines" as a response to a "popular request". He emphasized that "without such organized written account of the activities of various Baptist groups in the country, there will be no basis for objective investigation of such activities or no way to assess their advances or lapses."
In a way, history serves as a basis to understand and transform the present and a guide to plan for the future. Meditating on religion, politics and social transformation, Philippine Baptist scholar Dr. Lester Edwin J. Ruiz pointed out that "memory, narrative, and vision are decisive for transformation inasmuch as they mediate the possibilities of the 'fundamentally new and better. Without dreams - indeed, without the capacity to dream - the future is closed; without memory we are cut adrift in the present without any guiding stars to show the way; and without narrative - or the capacity to tell and re-tell our past and future - there is no possibility for meaning. Taken as a triadix structure, past, present, and future provides the context for human: life."
The American Baptist missionaries were not unaware of the need to write history. In 1966 Elizabeth Chambers, librarian of the Baptist-owned Central Philippine University, was one of the participants in an Asian-wide conference on theological education attended by Asian church leaders involved in education, together with some theological school leaders from the United States. In that conference, Missionary Russell Brown affirmed that Chambers acknowledged that there are no historical materials available to help the Philippine people to know about their religious origins. Chambers stressed the importance for Protestant denominations to have a sense of their own beginnings in the Philippines and Brown requested the missionaries „to give serious thought to the possibility of the preparation of a Baptist Church History for the Philippines.”
Not before 1976, however, the delegates to the annual assembly of Philippine Baptist churches had resolved to write a Philippine Baptist history. In succeeding years a number of committees were commissioned to do research and to come out with a written history. In June 1981 another committee was created to facilitate a Baptist historiography. That committee wrote a project proposal, "Historical Education and Research (HEAR)", to come out with a book on the history of the Philippine Baptist Churches. With a budget of 219,000 pesos it was expected to launch the book in 1985.4 In 1984, Dr. Domingo J. Diel, Jr., then CPBC General Secretary, announced that the CPBC would "come out with a Baptist primer, compilation of selected sermons, and selected biographies of selected Baptist pastors." The need to write a history cropped up again in 1990. During the 55th CPBC annual assembly, the delegates made two important recommendations: first, that "the Convention of Philippine Baptist Churches asks the Central Philippine University College of Theology to include in its curriculum a subject of theology in the Philippine context." Second, that "the Convention of Philippine Baptist Churches should encourage Filipino Baptist theologians to write books or Baptist Primer taking into account the Philippine setting and culture." Those endeavors, although they were not realized, could be regarded as efforts of Baptists to recognize the need to write a history. This study is an attempt to partly fill in that need....